What Is Amazon OTT? A Deep Dive Into Over-The-Top Advertising on Amazon

In today’s digital landscape, few advertising environments are evolving as rapidly—or as powerfully—as Over-The-Top (OTT) media. At the center of this transformation is Amazon OTT, an increasingly dominant force that gives brands a way to reach engaged audiences on the biggest screen in the home: the television.

So, what exactly is Amazon OTT? And why is it becoming a must-have in modern media plans?

What Is Amazon OTT?

Amazon OTT refers to ad placements that appear within streaming TV content across Amazon-owned and affiliated properties. This includes:

• Freevee (formerly IMDb TV) – Amazon’s free, ad-supported streaming service
• Twitch – Amazon’s live-streaming platform, especially popular among younger, cord-cutting viewers
• Prime Video (limited inventory) – Select opportunities within Amazon’s premium content
• Third-party apps on Fire TV – Amazon’s streaming stick and smart TV operating system
• Live sports and special events – Including Thursday Night Football and exclusive Amazon Originals

OTT ads on Amazon are delivered programmatically through the Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform). This allows advertisers to target specific audiences with precision using Amazon’s first-party shopping and behavioral data.

How Amazon OTT Is Different

Most DSPs allow access to connected TV (CTV) inventory. But Amazon OTT brings a unique competitive advantage:

1. First-Party Data

Amazon knows what its users search for, browse, and buy. That means you’re not just targeting “sports fans”—you’re targeting sports fans who bought athletic gear last month.

2. Closed-Loop Attribution

Advertisers can track an ad exposure all the way to a product detail page view, add-to-cart event, or purchase—without relying on third-party cookies or guessing at attribution models.

3. Premium Inventory

Unlike remnant ad inventory that plagues the open exchange, Amazon OTT offers high-quality, brand-safe environments with viewable, non-skippable placements.

4. Scalable Reach

With tens of millions of monthly users on Fire TV and massive Prime Video distribution, Amazon OTT delivers national scale—without sacrificing audience targeting.

Who Should Use Amazon OTT?

Amazon OTT is ideal for brands that want to:

• Drive top-of-funnel awareness with high-impact video
• Retarget high-intent shoppers with mid-funnel messaging
• Tie TV ad exposure directly to eCommerce results
• Reach younger, streaming-first audiences that traditional TV can’t capture

It’s especially powerful for automotive, CPG, retail, direct-to-consumer (DTC), and entertainment advertisers.

Why OTT Shouldn’t Be an Afterthought

OTT has historically been seen as a supplement to traditional linear TV. But that’s changed. In many households, streaming is the new television. And Amazon sits at the center of that ecosystem.

By activating Amazon OTT through the Amazon DSP, advertisers can unify their video, display, and retargeting efforts on one platform—building full-funnel strategies that deliver performance at scale.

Final Takeaway

Amazon OTT isn’t just a new media channel—it’s a smarter, more measurable, more targeted evolution of television advertising. It bridges the gap between high-impact video and real-world sales outcomes in a way few platforms can replicate.

As media buying becomes more data-driven and performance-focused, Amazon OTT will only become more essential to agencies, brands, and performance marketers who want to future-proof their video strategies.

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